Since the discovery of other planets, people have talked about the possibility of being able to colonize and live on them. Most of this talk has been dubbed science-fiction, and impossible, but in recent years, there have been leaps and bounds scientifically that may make this possible. Terraforming, the hypothetical process of transforming a planet’s atmosphere to resemble Earth’s, has been mentioned in science-fiction a lot since it was first hypothesized, but now is becoming a lot less fictional and more realistic. With issues like overpopulation and climate change potentially threatening the future of the human race, people are beginning to look to Mars, which may have been hospitable at one point according to credible speculation. If it could be terraformed and become hospitable to the human race, should we as a species jump on the opportunity? Would it be a waste of resources? And do we have any issues we need to correct on Earth before colonizing another planet?

As someone who has always been fascinated with the concept of travel in outer-space, I believe that if we have this opportunity that we should take it.  As a species that has taken every opportunity possible to further ourselves and have a part in our own evolution, I don’t see why we wouldn’t take this opportunity to at least attempt to terraform Mars. As far as colonization goes however, I feel like there are a few things that we need to take care of here on Earth before we can start relocating to another planet.

One issue, not only with colonization, but also with terraforming is that it would cost so much money to be able to complete this scale of a project. In order for our species to complete such a task would also require a large amount of cooperation between most first world nations, something that isn’t seen very often nowadays. There would be years of planning and collaboration as well as approving budgets to even begin on the path to accomplish such a feat.

In this time though, we would have time to pay attention to other major issues that would need to be addressed before colonizing a whole new planet. With climate change being such a controversial topic in present day politics, we would need to come to a general consensus on whether it is real or not. We need to analyze whether the way we live on Earth is killing the planet, and if so, find a way to change the way we inhabit a planet, rather than migrating from one dying planet to a planet that we will eventually do the same thing to. Otherwise we have the opportunity of making both Earth and Mars inhospitable, and leaving very few options for the survival of humans.

In conclusion, I believe that we as a species with a higher level of operation have an obligation to make an attempt at outer-space colonization. In order to accomplish this feat, we’ll need to spend years planning and approving funds and plans, as well as analyzing and finding the healthiest way to inhabit a planet. If we can, as a species we need to go boldly where no man has gone before.